The essential role that amino acids play in almost every biological process in the human body has led many to call them the “building blocks of life.” Amino acids play a crucial role in many bodily processes, including protein synthesis, immune system regulation, and energy consumption. But what makes them so crucial, and how can we guarantee that we’re consuming enough of them? Now we can get down to brass tacks.
What Are Amino Acids?
Amino acids are the organic compounds that combine to form proteins, just like a necklace made from pearls. When proteins are broken down or digested, amino acids are what’s left. These amino acids are crucial for a variety of bodily functions, such as building muscle, repairing tissue, and producing enzymes and hormones. The body requires 20 different amino acids, which fall into three primary groups:
Essential Amino Acids: These are the nine amino acids that the body cannot synthesize on its own and must be obtained from food. They include histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
Non-Essential Amino Acids: The body can produce these amino acids on its own, so it is not essential to get them from your diet. These include alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid.
Conditionally Essential Amino Acids: These are the specific non-essential amino acids that become essential in specific physiological conditions—such as disease, stress, or recovery—since the body cannot generate them in sufficient quantities. Examples include glutamine and arginine.
Functions of Essential Amino Acids
Why Amino Acids Matter?
Amino acids are involved in numerous biological processes:
Protein Synthesis: Amino acids are the primary building blocks of proteins, which are necessary for muscle development, tissue repair, and organ and cell health.
Immune Function: Some amino acids, such as glutamine, are essential for immune system function. They boost the immunological response and increase immune cell production.
Energy Source: Amino acids, particularly branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) such as leucine, isoleucine, and valine, can provide energy during extended exercise when glycogen stores are depleted.
Metabolic Functions: By taking part in processes like the citric acid cycle, which is involved in the synthesis of glucose and fatty acids as well as the creation of energy, amino acids contribute to the regulation of metabolism.
How to Incorporate Amino Acids Into Your Diet?
A balanced diet that includes all essential and conditionally essential amino acids is crucial for sustaining good health, especially during growth spurts, pregnancy, stressful situations, recuperation periods, and general well-being. Including a variety of plant and animal-based foods in your diet will help you do this. Here’s how to do so:
Animal-Based Foods: These are excellent sources of complete proteins, which contain all nine essential amino acids. Examples include:
- Meat: Chicken, beef, and pork.
- Fish: Salmon, tuna, cod, etc.
- Eggs: A versatile source of high-quality protein.
- Dairy: Milk, cheese, and yogurt.
Plant-Based Foods: Contrary to popular belief (as people usually think that plants have incomplete amino acids), many plant-based foods contain all 20 amino acids, though some may have lower amounts of certain essential amino acids like lysine or methionine. You can achieve a complete amino acid profile by combining different plant-based foods. Examples include:
- Quinoa: A complete protein that contains all essential amino acids.
- Soy Products: Tofu, tempeh, edamame, etc.
- Legumes and Grains: Beans, lentils, chickpeas, paired with grains like rice or wheat provide complementary amino acids, ensuring you meet all essential needs.
How Much Protein Should We Include in Our Diet?
The amount of protein you need in your diet depends on several factors, including age, sex, activity level, and overall health. Protein is essential for maintaining muscle mass, supporting immune function, and facilitating many metabolic processes. Here’s a general guide on how much protein is recommended:
General Guidelines:
According to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) by the Institute of Medicine, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for the average adult. This means that:
a) A 57 kg woman should target for about approx. 46 grams of protein per day.
b) A 70 kg man should consume about approx. 56 grams of protein per day.
Specific Needs:
Athletes: For those engaged in high-intensity physical activity, the protein requirement can be higher to support muscle repair and growth. Research suggests that athletes may need 1.4 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, depending on the intensity and type of training.
Older Adults: Muscle mass naturally declines with aging. Older persons may require more protein than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) in order to maintain bone health and prevent muscle loss (sarcopenia). It is advised that those who are over 65 years should take 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women: Protein needs to increase during pregnancy to support fetal growth and development. The RDA for pregnant women is >1.1 grams per kilogram of body weight, and it is also higher for breastfeeding women.
Do We Need to Add Specifically Amino Acids in Our Diet?
No, Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) are among the top-4 most commonly used supplements among athletes & bodybuilders. BCAA supplementation overall fails to be useful, particularly in the face of sufficient total daily protein intake.
The bottom line is that if your total daily protein intake is optimized at 1.6-2.2 g/kg, then you don’t need any amino acid supplement to boost athletic performance or body composition, It’s like you’re bathing in a swimming pool with a bucket!
Conclusion
Amino acids play a crucial role in maintaining optimal health. They are involved in essential processes such as protein synthesis, immune system regulation, and energy production. While essential amino acids must be obtained from food, a balanced diet that includes a variety of plant-based and animal-based protein sources is sufficient to meet daily amino acid requirements for most individuals.
For specific populations—athletes, older adults, and pregnant or breastfeeding women—higher protein intake may be necessary to support muscle maintenance, recovery, and growth. However, for those meeting their daily protein needs (1.6-2.2 g/kg for active individuals), additional amino acid supplements are generally unnecessary. Optimizing total protein intake from whole foods can provide all the benefits without the need for supplementation.
References:
Gardner, Christopher D., et al. “Maximizing the intersection of human health and the health of the environment with regard to the amount and type of protein produced and consumed in the United States.” Nutrition reviews 77.4 (2019): 197-215.
National Research Council. “Protein and amino acids.” Recommended Dietary Allowances: 10th Edition. National Academies Press (US), 1989.
Jäger, Ralf, et al. “International society of sports nutrition position stand: protein and exercise.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 14 (2017): 1-25.
Nowson, Caryl, and Stella O’Connell. “Protein requirements and recommendations for older people: a review.” Nutrients 7.8 (2015): 6874-6899.
Elango, Rajavel, and Ronald O. Ball. “Protein and amino acid requirements during pregnancy.” Advances in nutrition 7.4 (2016): 839S-844S.
Martinho, Diogo V., et al. “Oral branched-chain amino acids supplementation in athletes: a systematic review.” Nutrients 14.19 (2022): 4002.
